NAROWAL, June 24: Eight people were injured when a mob stoned police and a blasphemy accused in Talwandi Bhindran village in Niddoke police precincts on Monday.

Village residents besieged the house of Shahzad Ahmad (22), a resident of the same village, and tried to stone him to death for allegedly burning a copy of the Holy Quran on Monday.

Large contingents of police headed by the district police officer reached the village and arrested the accused. As police tried to take the accused to the police station, the mob outside his house tried to snatch him.

When police put up resistance, the mob stoned police and the accused. Eight people were injured in the ensuing moments. Police had to resort to aerial firing to disperse the mob. Finally, police took the accused to an undisclosed location with the help of Elite Force.

Later, the mob staged a protest and raised slogans against the accused and the police.

DPO Gohar Mushtaq Bhutta said the accused was being interrogated. He said the mother of the accused died three days ago and apparently he was under a huge mental stress because of the loss.

Also, Sadar DSP Mushtaq Ahmed Anjum suffered a heart attack during the mob attack on the accused and died at the hospital later.

Anjum was resident of Dera Ghazi Khan and was posted in Narowal in April this year. His body was sent to his hometown after his funeral prayers at Tayyab Shaheed Police Lines, Narowal.